The way aspartame was discovered is quite interesting. In fact, it was by complete accident when chemist James Schlatter was actually working on an anti ulcer drug when there was a small accident and the recrystallized aspartame spilled over on his hand. Later, Schlatter licked his fingers and realized that aspartame was sweet.

The discovery of aspartame was reported in the Journal of the American Chemical Society and it basically talked about how the sweetener was discovered and that it was up to 100-200 times stronger than sugar based on its concentration.

A great deal of evidence has been gathered since its discovery that shows aspartame to be dangerous to people and even toxic. Nevertheless, Searle has effectively marketed the sweetener and made billions of dollars in the process at the expense of many people’s health.

Aspartame

Metabolic acidosis occurs when aspartame reaches more than 86 degrees F. That is because the wood alcohol changes to formaldehyde, which changes to formic acid.

Methanol toxicity is a death sentence, although diseases like multiple sclerosis are not. Multiple sclerosis has become rampant and systemic lupus is becoming more common as well. This is especially the case with Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers. Most of the time the victims are unaware that aspartame is at fault. The continued use of aspartame can irritate lupus to a point that it becomes a life threatening disease.

Many lupus patients become asymptomatic once they stop drinking diet colas. Those with Multiple Sclerosis see many of their symptoms vanish. Those with fibromyalgia and tinnitus also see great reductions in their symptoms when they stop ingesting aspartame.

People may be experiencing aspartame poisoning if they use aspartame products like Equal, NutraSweet, Spoonful, and the like, and have shooting pains, spasms, cramps, leg numbness, vertigo, dizziness, tinnitus, unexplainable depression, joint pain, anxiety attacks, blurred vision, slurred speech, and other fibromyalgia symptoms.

Unfortunately, modern medicine is not capable of diagnosing people with aspartame poisoning and are rather diagnosing diseases in error. This results in doctors dealing with one disease/one organ giving too many meds that result in even more diseases. It is recommended to avoid searching out doctors to diagnose what is wrong with you when you can simply avoid aspartame altogether.

Diet Soda

Diet colas are not actually diet products. Instead, they are products that have been altered chemically, contain aspartame, and too much salt. They actually make you gain weight and crave even more carbohydrates. Unbelievable, these beverages also have formaldehyde, which is stored in fat cells generally in the thighs and hips. Because of this, it should be no shock that many Americans are gaining weight and experiencing higher rates of diabetes and cancer.

Most people are aware that formaldehyde is used to preserve tissue in those that have died. Poisoning by formaldehyde results in symptoms of gastrointestinal and respiratory irritation, as well as irritation of the throat, mouth, and eyes. Other effects include renal damage and affects to the central nervous system that causes convulsions, stupor, vertigo, and even unconsciousness.

Those who are diabetic should be especially cautious with aspartame. Aspartame makes your blood sugar vary uncontrollably and since aspartic acid and phenylalanine are neurotoxin individuals may have severe memory loss. In diabetics, aspartame can cause seizures, panic attacks, brain damage, as well as uncontrollable rage and anger.

Non-diabetics who consume aspartame are likely to experience these same symptoms. Many times, children who have been diagnosed with ADHD or ADD are completely different once aspartame is taken out of their diet. Behavior modification drugs like Ritalin were no longer necessary.

Ritalin, methylphenidate, has been patented for quite a few decades and was first introduced in 1954. This drug is a CNS stimulant and there are many side effects reported from abuse by those who take methylphenidate. These include mood swings, insomnia, psychosis, nervousness, mood changes, reduced appetite and sex drive, stomachaches, hallucinations, diarrhea, and the like.

Under the Convention of Psychotropic Substances, methylphenidate is a Schedule II drug in the US as well as the rest of the world. It is ranked a Schedule II drug because it can be easily abused and is highly addictive.

An article in the Los Angeles Times quoted, “the uproar over Ritalin was triggered almost single-handedly by the Scientology movement.” This is interesting because during the 1980s a Scientology associated anti psychiatry group campaigned against Ritalin. They even lobbied Congress to investigate the drug. Some of the side effects of the drug that are less common include high blood pressure, palpitations, and tachycardia. It was considered that children taking the drug were being poisoned daily. If taken at conception or in early pregnancy it is likely to cause birth defects and/or mental retardation.

Artificial sweeteners should never be given to children as they are at increased risk for neurological disorders. It is not uncommon for children to experience neurological problems or even grand mal seizures.

In 1983, aspartame was approved for use in soft drinks and it had been approved for dry foods two years earlier. The same year, the late Senator Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio wrote the Aspartame Safety Bill. This bill would have required warning labels for at risk groups, especially women, children and babies. Part of the bill that was very important was the part that required the amount of aspartame that could be ingested and the amount the FDA allowed per day. The label would have also required a special label for pregnant women. This bill was killed by lobbying from MNCs working with the American FDA despite warning signs that aspartame was dangerous. The American FDA is no longer capable of doing its job and overseeing the safety of food and drugs in America.

The patent by Monsanto (the aspartame creator) on Aspartame has expired. However, there are thousands of products in the USA that use aspartame and many more that will use it in the future. The New York Times exposed the relationship between Aspartame and its funding of the American Dietetic Association, the American Diabetes Association, the Conference of the American College of Physicians, and more.

Splenda & Sucralose

Splenda has begun to replace aspartame, but it is not any healthier. In fact, there is a civil suit against Splenda that it advertises itself as a natural product because it is “made from sugar.” This product is not natural and Johnson and Johnson had internal documentation that proved consumers were under the impression that Splendid was indeed natural. Rulings in countries such as New Zealand, France, and Australia have found the advertising practices to be deceptive.

The founder of Mission Possible International, Dr. Betty Martini, has promoted Stevia, a natural herb, for diabetics instead of sugar. She says the controversy over sucralose continues and points out that aspartame was not approved for 16 years until lobbying and Ronald Reagan allowed it to happen. Then, instead of testing Splenda significantly before approving it, the FDA did not and simply approved it with little to no hesitation.

The public should be aware many of the diseases and deaths that occur are partly the cause of ingesting dangerous chemicals like aspartame and the like. People need to wake up and know what they are consuming and its effects on their bodies.

Comments

33 Responses to “Pick Your Poison: Aspartame, Diet Soda, Splenda …”

Gary Bass on
March 29th, 2009 12:15 pm

I need to know if Splenda is safe. I recently was told I have diabetes so I am looking for a substitute

Louis on
March 31st, 2009 2:56 pm

I am reminded of something my industrial toxicology professor said: “Everything is either poisonous, explosive, or both.” It is all a matter of dosage. Cabbage contains a toxic chemical, but you would have to eat a box car of it in a short time to have any affect. Also because of minute differences in everyone’s genetic makeup, no food, drug, etc will be safe for everyone. You just have to consider the potential costs/risks to the potential benefits just like you do every time you cross the street or drive a car.

Shaun on
April 11th, 2009 8:10 pm

Donald Rumsfeld was the one who got Aspartame approved when he was the head of the Monsanto Corporation(the same company that created Agent Orange, Dioxin and are now the largest creator of genetically modified seeds/food)…I started to look into all this and it is really scary. The FDA is in on it too, they even over looked the original study done on 5 reeses monkey given Aspartame in small doses over a short period of time 4/5 monkeys suffered bad seizures and died…check it out for yourself…it’s really scary stuff.

Rachel Cairns on
April 16th, 2009 1:05 pm

My name is Rachel and I am a type 1 diabetic. Before I was diagnosed with this disease I used to drink diet coke in great quantities.
Now if I drink diet coke I notice severe spikes in my blood sugar levels and wonder if the added aspartame is a major reason why I should avoid drinking diet coke all together in the future.

Stu on
August 19th, 2009 9:58 pm

Critical Reviews in Toxicology
2007, Vol. 37, No. 8, Pages 629-727

Aspartame: A Safety Evaluation Based on Current Use Levels, Regulations, and Toxicological and Epidemiological Studies

People lacking a medical background and sufficient understanding of the human body should be wary of material they encounter on the Internet. It is very insightful to read the actual research publications on which health/safety claims and concerns are made. Understanding the conditions of the studies, actual results found, and professional analysis thereof will offer a better understanding of the topic rather than claims that are not supported directly by evidence published in nationally accepted journals of medicine and simply stated by hearsay or lack of proper understanding of published material.

jamesallen66 on
November 7th, 2009 3:27 pm

Hey, stu, how much do these companies pay you to search for these discussions, and post their pro- aspartame propaganda? Scumbag

vanita on
January 6th, 2010 5:55 pm

Im concerne about my husband health,he realy likes splenda and uses it a lot.I watch a lot of health doctors on tv and wonder why they dont talk about splenda.But they allways talk about stevia.if splenda is so good for you,why know ones promoting it not even health doctors.We all need to think about that,how safe is it.

BRIDGET S on
February 2nd, 2010 3:24 am

I really believe that Splenda, aspartame & all the other artificial sugar are bad for you… wake up people… what is mean artificial… it means fake… what will you put something that your body even did not recognized. Stevia is from a plant and it totally natural… and cheap. This is way too healthy. The gov. want us to be sick so the pharmaceutical co. make more money so they can charge them more taxes. diabetes, cancer and multiple sclerosis are good business for them. Just think about it!!

I hope that we can stand behind all the rave reviews that Stevia gets in 5-10-20 years, and nothing icky turns up. I am it’s biggest fan. With the use of Stevia I finally feel like I have a firm grip on controlling sugar cravings. I use it in my baking, drinks and anything I want to sweeten up. I love that I have no sugar crashes and no weight gain, just pure sweet satisfaction. Artificial sweeteners….not around here.
In my blog Stevia is the sweetener of choice:

I’m certainly no fan of what I’ve learned and experienced via these artificial sweeteners.

I would simply like to point out the flaw in thinking that just because something is “natural” it’s okay instead, however.

There are plenty of things that are “natural” that we still shouldn’t be putting in our bodies as well. You wouldn’t use rattlesnake poison as your “natural” sweetener of choice, for example. Be careful with the “natural” things, too.

Vicki on
June 16th, 2010 6:50 pm

I have experienced the effects of Aspartame and Sucralose (Splenda). I truly thought I suffered from Fibermyalgia. I had used these products for several years; since I was diagnosed as type 2 Diabetic. I have quit all artificial sweeteners for over 2 weeks now and am feeling MUCH better. The artificial sweeteners ARE POISON!

Lorenzo on
July 18th, 2010 12:52 am

Twenty years of diet sodas caused me to be diagnosed with peripheral non-diabetic neurapothy – numb, burning, tingling feet, and somewhat in the hands. I cut out ALL diet chemicals and after one month ALL symptoms disappeared for good. No more of these poisons for me!

frank E on
August 24th, 2010 12:41 pm

Splenda is NOT safe. It is a chlorinated hydrocarbon and was developed as an insecticide. It was discovered to attract ants because it is sweet but once they ingest it, it kills them instantly.

michelle on
October 11th, 2010 7:42 pm

Wow! That is crazy about Rumsfeld and Mantosanto. Anyone see Food Inc, or KingCorn??
I have had problems with shooting pains- migraines, and many other MS symptoms. Doctors cant figure out what it is. It all started when I joined a friend in the South Beach diet and switched to Splenda in 2008 and have used it religiously since then. Recently I just dumped the stuff and have switched to Stevia. However, beware, just saw in the store, Stevia in the Raw- packaged by In the Raw sugar folks, has Maltodextrose, a form of HFCS. Look at the labels.

L Rees on
November 10th, 2010 11:53 pm

I have been drinking diet drinks for years. I recently read in a legitimate source that those who drink 2 or more a day suffered 1/4 kidney function loss vs. those who did not…this, after about 10 yrs of consumption & monitoring.
I love carbonated drinks, but not the sugar. So I solved the problem by buying a sodastream and a Co2doctor converter and now I am making my own carbonated lime essence water and carbonated juices. My “diet” drinks have no sugar and no artificial sweeteners at all. It’s exactly like the flavored club soda at the grocery…except the carbonation is always popping fresh bc I make it myself. I bought my own CO2 canister from a beverage home brew beer company, and then went to the local AirGas company (they supply restaurant grade CO2) for $14. This 10# canister of CO2 will last me a year. I also drink unsweetened, very weak iced tea. Take note that excessive carbonated drinks can cause kidney stones due to the oxalates. Counteract this by squirting lemon juice in your water as often as you drink the sodas… Also, regular tea has oxalates.

ryan on
November 14th, 2010 2:59 pm

I love uneducated articles such as this. they are not based on scientific fact. It is based on hear say. There has never been a product tested more than aspartame. No test has ever proven that Aspartame has any side effects. That has been proven by the FDA and the EFSA(European Food Safety Authority). Anytime you see an article such as this, they are trying to sell you something and weak minded people by into it.

I wish to tell my experience with splenda. I was using it regularly, I even bought the large container for baking and making tea. I started experiencing severe stomach cramps and digestive problems. I had no idea it was the splenda. The symptoms got worse. I read an article about splenda so I stopped using it. All my symptoms disappered immediately. Now I’m stopping all artificial sweeteners.

Kevin Walsh on
February 10th, 2011 1:30 pm

This is just an observation on my part. I live in the country and it is pretty common to have a few ants in the house come springtime. They usually make their way for the counters and the sugar bowl.
If a little sugar should fall on the counter they will carry it off to home. My observance is that if it be a bowl of Splenda or you spill a little they will make a wide berth around this. They will not touch it. If an ant will not consume this maybe we shouldn’t.

mark hausman on
March 3rd, 2011 7:28 pm

I had a gastric bypass seven years ago,i was told to use splenda, the last 4 years i’ve had a seisure, internal hernia, galbladder removed and recently gastritis. Is splenda my problem?

J brown on
April 16th, 2011 10:27 pm

I got severe vertigo from artificial sweetness! Couldn’t move for weeks! I was young and Naieve and didn’t realize poison could be sold because of money!

Hanna on
July 28th, 2011 8:42 pm

First of all, thanks for sharing the information.
I’ve noticed that a lot of people are suffering from diabetic and they are now aware of the harmfulness of artificial sweeteners (aspartame, saccharine and sucralose). I have seen many people around me (including myself) consuming a lot of artificial sweeteners everyday. These are the “diet” product, “zero- calories” products. They may seem healthier but in fact, they contains tones of artificial sweeteners. I have realised that these arises headache, craving for sugar and even weight gain. Thereby I’ve stopped consuming any of these products and also trying to cut down on sugar. But as you all may know, cutting down on sugar is pretty tough since almost every food has sugar in it. Now let me tell you about this amazing natural sugar substitutes that I am using at the moment. It’s called Natvia natural sweeteners, which contains “no” aspartame and saccharin” and also it has less calories than sugar. For me, throughout my experience so far, it is doing great actually. I’ve told most of my friends to give it a go and they all seem to like it. Find out more if you are seeking for any good (esp.natural) sugar substitute.

Connie on
August 1st, 2011 9:08 pm

Since they were approved for use, I have been a HEAVY consumer of aspartame and, more recently, Splenda. Until 2 weeks ago, my day began with a trip to the refrigerator for a diet soda. As the day continued, I would consume several Splenda-laden cups of coffee and 44 oz diet fountain sodas. Another favorite of mine was Yoplait light yogurt(containing sucralose) and several sticks of sugarless gum. Anything that was labeled “light” was included in my diet. For almost 25 years I suffered migraines. A few years ago I began experiencing ever-increasing in intensity and frequency strange physical symptoms that were unexplainable and everin my numerous Dr and ER visits – intermittent shooting pains throughout my body; intermittent strange feelings in my head; feelings of panic; joint and “bone” pain; lack of energy; numbness and tingling in my hands, feet & head; lack of energy; moodiness; chest pains; extreme weight gain not warranted by calories in vs burned. At 50 yrs old, I assumed this was all just “normal aging” until 2 weeks ago when I saw the movie “Sweet Misery; A Poisoned World.” That prompted me to begin an “experiment.” I got rid of everything in my refrigerator & cupboards containing aspartame or sucralose (still have 10 12-pks of diet soda to dump out). For 2 weeks I have painstakingly avoided all artificial sweeteners and feel better than I have in years. Overall it hasn’t been that difficult – the first few days there were strong cravings for diet soda (especially Pepsi Max) but those have pretty much dissipated. Some headaches – but not the severe pain and weird sensations that I had experienced for so many years. All my other strange symptoms have gone away. Every day that I abstain from artificial sweeteners leaves me feeling better and more energetic – more like my “old” self! The FDA’s approval of these poisons was obviously motivated by money & greed with no respect for the citizens whom they are supposed to be protecting. From what I have learned it appears that Ronnie Reagan bullied the FDA to align with his (and his crone’s) own political and financial agendas with no regard for innocent people thinking that they were doing something HEALTHY by avoiding natural sugar. I will NEVER knowingly allow another artificial sweetener to pass my lips – there is no doubt that the strange and unpleasant symptoms that I have suffered were caused by the poison that I pumped into my body on a daily basis.

gerry on
September 26th, 2011 12:30 pm

I guess the bottom line is contained in a ‘desk sogan’ I have (on my desk at work)

“life is delicious, not sweet”

stop trying to make things ‘sweet’

gerry

Gwen Trimble on
October 8th, 2011 9:35 pm

I just wanted to post a warning here for people to stay away from a new poison that is being marketed as “safe” and “natural”. It’s called Stevia and is being peddled by snake oil saleman as a substitute for other “artificial” sweetners. Studies have linked it to leukemia, autism and dementia.

Great1122 on
October 23rd, 2011 7:55 pm

I say avoid all artificial sweeteners and stick with the real stiff, you’ll gain more weight but at least you won’t die from it, assuming you consume it in safe amounts.

Judy Monroe on
November 16th, 2011 12:28 am

To “Shaun” on 4/11/2009:
Yep, nothing is more frightening than a chocolate and peanut butter monkey. Uh, it’s actually called a rhesus monkey, not reeses monkey.

Henk on
January 4th, 2012 1:19 am

Did anyone ever experience a problem with a loss of libido because of aspartame use? Will the “problem” correct itself?

J Amee on
February 21st, 2012 4:37 am

Just get over having to have everything SWEET.I used to be addicted to Coke and chocolate.What I really wanted was the caffiene.Now I drink unsweetened ice tea and love it.I no longer have anything with artifical sweetner,stevia or sugar.

Everyone is raised thinking sweet means comfort but it is not.Sweet means trouble for teeth,metabolism and general heath.

I know.I’ve been there with teeth problems,weight and tiredness.

It’s more than worth it to give up all sweets.Your skin,hair,eyes,energy will all improve.

I do love caffiene but it has great benefits unless you think it gives you too much of a jolt but for me it’s great.

When I ate processed foods,I wanted sweets but now I eat only fresh fruit and vegetables,lean meats.

I’ve used Splenda for quite some time but recently began drinking iced tea with splenda several glasses a day. I started having stomach paid and cramps that were terrible and over the counter medicine didn’t help much. I thought about what I was eating and drinking and splenda was the only product I consumed large quantities of on a daily basis. I quit eating or drinking anything with splenda for the past 3 days and have noticed that I have no more stomach pain or cramping at all. I have decided to use Pure Via as a sweetener from now on.

Sandra on
June 27th, 2012 4:16 pm

Being the daughter of a Type 1 diabetic (not caused by weight or eating disorders, but by pancreatic failure to produce insulin at all since puberty), I was raised drinking tea, coffee, and other drinks sweetened with nothing but artificial sweeteners. My mother bought whatever artificial sweetener was available on the market, as she could not have sugar added to anything. She only used sugar when it was required to activate food chemistry, such as yeast in bread-making.

I have used Splenda since it came out on the market, and use it in all its suggested uses, every day. I buy the big bag. I have not experienced any problems, although, when I first began using I thought I did.

About a year ago, I had some of the bloating, digestive upset, etc. people on this site have mentioned. But I think I found the answer, at least for myself. I had taken an antibiotic for a sinus infection. I had taken a probiotic cupplement at the same time. But when I experienced my problems, I added a stronger (5 billion cells versus 2 billion cells), broader-based probiotic (more strains, not just acidophiles)and the problem went away.

I have not experienced any problems I would associate with Splenda, although I have tried Stevia. Stevia just tastes “wrong” to me, and it does not sweeten. I have tried 3 different brands and formulations, and each time, after a day, I have to mix it with Splenda in order to not waste the coffee or tea to which I have added it.

So, we all just have to stay informed, and make our own decisions about these things, because when it comes right down to it, moderation in all things, and a candy bar once in a while will not kill us, but candy every day might.

jared on
August 14th, 2012 4:27 pm

Cane or beet sugar there really is no other subsitute.

HFCS or general corn syrup gives me gut rot, stomach pains of firing fury and abdominal pain and cramping and not so fun endings.

I removed alot of HFCS and corn syrups from my diet and I have had no gastrointestinal issues and less indigestion for over 7 months and my stools are normal when I was having issues almost daily or 2-3 times a week. Maybe I am allergic to todays genetically modified corn so my plan is to stick to cane or beet, I don’t even drink sodas anymore.

jared on
August 14th, 2012 4:29 pm

I stay away from corn laced candies as well.

jared on
August 14th, 2012 4:30 pm

Stay away from corn laced candies made from the seed of the corn or corn powder starches.

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